Centrifugal ore-separator.



No. 802,725. PATENTED OCT. 24, 1905. P. H. ADAMS.

GENTRIFUGAL ORE SBPARATOR. APPLICATION FILED DEG. 12, 1904.

i VA 3-732 2 5/" I I xrumum Jwe/iZr W b. OL/aLa/ww/ No. 802,725. PATENTED OCT. 24, 1905. P. H. ADAMS.

OBN-TRIFUGAL ORE SBPARATOR.

APPLIUATION FILED DEG.12,1904.

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PI-IINEAS H. ADAMS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSlCi-NOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTITS, TO TITLE OWNERS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

CENTRIIFUGAL OFlE-SEPAWATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 2 1, 1905.

To (1.7.7 whom 11! may concern.-

Be it known that I, PHINEAS H. ADAMs, residing at No. 288 1 South Forty-seventh Court, Chicago, Illinois, (whose business address is 5 911 North Kedzie avenue, Chicago, Illinois) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Centrifugal Ore-Separators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more particularly to I centrifugal separators, for separation of ores or like material of different degrees of specil'ic gravity while in apulverized state and mixed with water, of the class having an outer rotatable vessel with a separating-surface on its inner wall and a dilferentially-rotatable inner core or deflector, the two together forming a separating-channel variable in size and which in its operation alternately accumulates a charge or load of concentrates and middlings and then discharges them, which isillustrated and described in an application for United States Letters Patent for centrifugal separators filed by me May 6, 1903,Serial N 0. 155,959, reference to which is hereby made; and my in- 5 vention consists in the features and details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is mainly a vertical longitudinal central section of my improved separator in a direction transverse to its front and back sides, showing, however, some parts in elevation and with the dischargespout located near the bottom at the front side partly broken away and a small part of the hand-wheel mechanism at the right-hand or back side omitted. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of Fig. 1 on lineQ 2 looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 3 is a cross plan section of Fig. 1 on line 3 3 looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of a portion of one of the telescoping pipes, and Fig. 5 is a modified form of pipe or water-conduit to that shown in Fig. 1.

In making my improved centrifugal oreseparator I provide a rotatable separating or treatment vessel a, which I prefer to locate in a vertical position and to have it in the form of a tapering or cone-shape tube or shell having a smooth internal separating surface 5 or area a, as especially shown in Fig. 1. The vessel is provided with heads 6 and 0, having central hollow hubs or trunnions (Z and 0, respectively. I also provide a shaft f, extending through the hubs d and 0, around which these hubs are rotatably journaled, thus formingbearing for the lateral support of the treatment vessel. This shaft is held in an upright position by suitable journal-boxes g and it, the top one of which is attached to a casting above the upper hub, supported by columns ,7', which are securely mounted on a base-housing l: of the separator.

The lower journal-box it engages the shaft below the lower hub and is secured to the base-housing, as shown. The shaftis mounted 5 in its journal-boxes g and lb, adapted to be slid or traveled longitudinally, as desired, and is extended through such boxes sufliciently, as shown in Fig. 1, to permit of a desired amount of longitudinal travel. It is stepped at its 7 lower end in a suitable box and will be traveled with the box either up or down, as the box may be moved. The box m. is pivotally attached, through links a, to the forked end of the lever 0, which lever is fulcrumed at to the base housing of the separator.

The opposite end of the lever is hinged or pivotally connected by a reciprocatory upwardly-extending casting 1 which diverges upward into two pairs of forks or yokes, the separate pairs of which pass on the opposite sides of the cam-wheel r and are in engagement in asliding manner with the boxes or bearings .5, located around the cam-shaft t, which here holds the forked casting in position as illustrated in the drawings. This forked casting has in its lower portion or body, properly located to contact with the circumferential surface of the cam-wheel, a roller '1.t,(shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,) which is of suitable size and rotatably mounted on a pin v, so that the cam maintains the outer end of the lever in place and so when the cam revolves the roller travels against the circumferential surface of the cam and the lever in this manner is forced downward or is permitted to rise, with the irregular contour of the cam rocking or reciprocating the lever and producing a reciprocating or longitudinal travel of the step-box and the shaft f with its deflector. It will be understood that the cam has a peripheral surface with a contour adapted to produce the movements or oscillations of the lever that are desired, as well as its periods of rest, which in turn produce de- IO 5 sired longitudinal movements of the deflector. This cam is securely mounted and maintained on its shaft 2/, which is journaled in boxes w,

Fig. 3, carried by brackets :11, secured to the base casting or housing of the separator. The shaft and cam are rotated by slow-down gearing or mechanism, consisting of a wormwheel 1 rigidly mounted upon the cam-shaft 25 and meshing with a worm upon an adequate shaft journaled in boxes 2, which are properly connected to and carried by one of the brackets Upon the shaft of the worm is also located and secured to rotate said shaft a wormwheel 3. This worm-wheel 3 is secured to the shaft of the worm .2 by a special connecting device 1, which I will not herein describe in detail, as I do not here intend to make it a subject of claim. The worm 3 meshes a shaft 6, journaled in boxes 7 in suitable position for this purpose.

For receiving the motive power for this mechanism and imparting rotation thereto a pair of clutch-pulleys 8 and 9, Fig. 3, are preferably loosely mounted on the said shaft 6 and are driven in reverse directions by belts 10 and 11 traveling in such manner, which are shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3. Either of the clutch-pulleys may be brought into or out of engagement with a clutch 12 by means of a suitable lever 13, so that the shaft 6, with its rigidly-mounted worm 5, will be revolved in either direction desired, depending on which of the clutch-pulleys are brought into engagement for this purpose, and through the mechanism above described will revolve the cam and rock the lever 0 and move or travel the shaft f, with its deflector, up or down in the treatment vessel, as desired.

The base-housing of the separator is provided with two spirally-inclined troughs or compartments 1 1 and 15, as shown in Fig. 1, terminating in a two-compartment spout 16, (more clearly shown in Fig. 8,) which serves to catch the water and material from the treatment vessel and flow it from the separator.

The treatment vessel (0 is preferably seated in its vertical position on and supported by a roller, step, or thrust bearing 17, mounted on the upper end of the journal-box It. The lower end of the vessel is preferably somewhat enlarged diametrically for a short distance of its length, as shown in Fig. 1, making an annular recess or chamber. It is provided around the circumference of the enlargement with a row.of nipples 18, having small openings 18 for the discharge of material and water from the vessel. Within the recess or chamber formed by said enlargement I provide a suitably-shaped ring 19, containing a series of depressions or pockets with large openings at their inner sides and converging to small openings registering with the discharge-nipples 18, as shown in Fig. 1.

The object of this recessed or chambered ring is to prevent undue lodgment of material at this point.

Within the treatment vessel and to operate in conjunction with it and to form with such vessel a separating or concentrating channel or passage 20 I provide a differentially-rotatable hollow cone or core 21, which I will term a deflector. This deflector is preferably made largely of wood, composed of sections or segments secured together to form a wall of considerable thickness and is securely fastened to the circumferential portions or flanges of the spiders 22, which spiders are rigidly mounted on and carried by the shaft f, as particularly shown in Fig. 1. The said flanges have holes through them suitably located and of suflicient size to receive the bolts or rods 23, which pass lengthwise through the wall of the deflector and at their ends through the plates 24 and 25, which are located 0n the respective ends of the deflector and serve, together with the rods, to clamp and assist in rigidly holding the various sections comprising the wall of the deflector together.

The deflector is preferably made of length to extend over substantially all of the separating-surface while it is in position nearest to the feed or small end of the treatment vessel and then also to extend a short distance beyond the lower end of the separating-surface, yet leaving room for its longitudinal movement or reciprocation a distance sul stantially equivalent to the width of the enlargement or chamber at the discharge end of the vessel. The outer circumferential wall of the deflector is preferably made smooth and of shape to closely conform to the shape or contour of the separating-surface, but somev what smaller in diameter, so when the deflector is in position nearest the small or feed end of the treatment vessel there will be a comparatively small annular space or channel around between the separating-surface and the exterior of the deflector, which space initially constitutes the concentrating or separating channel or passage 20.

The plate on the upper end of the deflector has an annular upwardly-extended flange 26 at its inner diameter,which serves to prevent material and water from flowing over this edge of the plate into the hollow of the deflector while material is being fed for concentration, and it is also provided with radial wings 27, secured to revolve with the plate and which serve to quickly force the water and material around with the deflector as they are introduced into the vessel.

Upon the upper head of the treatment ves- ,sel to revolve with it is situated a materialfeed receptacle or chamber 28, which is provided with an annular opening at its upper side through which material for separation may be fed. A fixed hollow feed-casting 29 is provided, which may consist of an annular hollow portion of diameter and size and preferably having an annular opening or channel 30 between two downwardly-extended walls adapted to enter with some clearance the opening to the feed-chamber, so that water and material flowed into the feed-casting will pass down into the feed-chamber and through a series of holes or passages 31 into the treatment vessel and separating-channel.

To the feed casting 29 is connected. a branched pipe 32, and the respective branches may be projected and have suitable valves located in them. (Not shown.) One of the branches may be connected with an agitatingtank or other suitable source of supply of material (not shown) containing pulverized ore mixed with water for concentration and serves to supply the treatment vessel with material for separation at the desired times, its flow being governed by the valve in this branch. The other branch may be connected to a suitable source of supply of practically clean water for use at the desired times in removing and discharging concentrates, its flow being governed by the valve in that branch.

To enable the separate or independent removal of middlings from the separating-surface and their discharge from the separator, the wall of the deflector for a desired considerable distance from its lower or discharge end is provided with holes, perforations, or water-passages 32, which are adapted to deliver water to or on a considerable Zone or area of the separating-surface toward its discharge end, and to secure the introduction of water for this purpose there is provided on the upper head of the treatment vessel an annular chamber 33, located nearer the axis of rotation than the material-feed chamber 28, but preferably much like it. This chamber 33 is provided with an annular opening on its upper side, suitably located to receive the downwardly-extended and contracted walls of the hollow casting 34:, as especially shown in Fig. 1, which casting is provided with an annular opening between its said walls in position to deliver water into the chamber 33 and is provided with a pipe 35, adapted to connect with a suitable source of supply of clean water. Extending from the chamber 33 through the head of the treatment vessel are passages 36, through which water introduced into said chamber can flow and pass into the annular depending sleeve or ring 37, which is carried on the under side of the head 6 and extends down through the central opening in the plate 24 a distance somewhat greater than the length or distance of longitudinal travel of the deflector in its reciprocation and 18 adapted to guide and deliver the water from the chamber 33 down into the hollow of the deflector.

At a point preferably somewhat down from the small or feed end of the deflector on its interior wall is located a ring or equivalent inwardly-extended portion 38, securely attached to or into the wall of the deflector and adapted to stop, retain, or dam water to the extent desired from flowing down within the hollow deflector as far as the area containing the perforations 32. This water backed or dammed in the upper end of the deflector is indicated by numeral 39, Fig. 1. it of course will be understood that this water is held against the wall of the deflector by the action of centrifugal force.

Communicating with the ring or water-retaining means 38 are pipes or conduits a0, preferably lying about parallel with the inner wall of the deflector, which pipes are adapted to receive water from above the ring 38 and convey it down toward the lower or opposite end of the deflector, which may be known as its discharge end. These pipes are preferably composed of at least two sections, one section suitably telescoping within the other a suflieient distance to enable a considerable contraction or expansion in their combined length, so that their delivery ends may be shifted up or down along the internal wall of the deflector, and therefore deposit the water which flows through them from above the ring, so as to pass through the perforations that are located a greater or less longitudinal distance from the discharge end of the deflector, and thereby wash off and remove middlings from a greater or less area of the separating-surface from its discharge end, depending on how the pipes are adjusted, which adjustment is intended to be suflicient to affect a considerable or suflicient area or zone of the separating-surface toward its discharge end to be of practical utility and value in operation. I

As means of effecting adjustment or telescoping of the pipes I have provided a spider 41 engaging the lower ends or sections of the several pipes and have mounted the spider in a slidable manner around the shaft f and supported it by a collar 42, which may be moved up or down and secured at any place by the set-screw 43 and serve to support the spider. WV hen desired, by movement of the spider the lower sections of the several pipes L0 may be adjusted so their lower ends will deliver water to the perforations or water-passages 32 as desired. The lower sections of the pipes are preferably screw-threaded to the spider, as shown in Fig. 1 and enlarged detail, Fig. 4. In detail Fig. 5 1 designate the pipes 40 and have shown a modified means of adjusting them. In this instance the lower section is threaded over the upper section. Instead of pipes there may be employed any suitable water-conduits the water-delivery points of which can be changed to effect the purpose; but I. prefer to make them of metal pipe, as shown. It will be seen that in this way, through the adjustment of the length of the pipes, at greater or less quantity of middlings can be removed and discharged separately or without disturbing concentrates on the other parts of the separating-surface.

in operation the treatment vessel is revolved by application of a belt (not shown) around the raised surface eta on its outer circumference at the desired rate of speed, and the deflector is also revolved at a desired rate of speed by application to its pulley 45, which latter speed is suitably dilferential to that of the vessel to secure the separation desired. Initially the deflector is moved up in the vessel to its fullest extent or to the small end of the vessel, being carried by its supporting-shaft f, thereby reducing the separating-channel to proper size for commencement of concentration, and the concentrating period may commence.

The material to be separated while in a linely pulverized state and mixed with the desired amount of water to make it flow freely is fed into the separator, preferably from a suitable elevated agitator-tank, (not shown,) through the feed-pipe 32 and passes into the treatment vessel and separating channel through the agencies hereinabove described.

The heavier parts, or the concentrates, lodge on the separating-surface and are held with greater tenacity, while the lighter or waste parts and the middlings are forced or driven along by the water in the separating-channel, the former to discharge and the latter to lodgment toward the discharge end of the separating surface. The washing or scouring action of the water which effects separation in the separating-channel is principally governed by the amount of differential rotation between the treatment vessel and the deflector, which is during concentration adjusted properly to wash off, separate, and move the lighter parts along to discharge, but yet to permit the heavier to lodge and accumulate on the separating-surface, as already described.

As the operation proceeds and the accumulation or accretion forms in the channel the latter would soon become too much contracted or filled if there were no compensating agencies, and to provide for and meet this requirement during the concentrating period the shaft carrying the deflector is slowly traveled longitudinally or downward by the reciprocating mechanism that has been explained, and with the shaft the deflector is also moved in like manner, and thereby, through this movement of the deflector toward the larger end of the treatment vessel, the separatingchannel is gradually and uniformly increased in depth or size, which is progressively being filled with the accumulating concentrates and middlings.

\Vhen the deflector has been drawn to its fullest extent toward the large end of the vessel, the latter has become loaded or charged with concentrates and middlings, and the feed of material for separation is discontinued, the speed of the vessel considerably reduced to enable the middlings and concentrates to be more easily removed, and clean water for removal of middlings is first introduced through the pipe 35 and its associate parts and passes into the deflector and down through the pipes 4E0 and through the perforations or water-passages 32 against the middlings on the lower end of the separating-surface, dislodging and washing them off and out of the treatment vessel to discharge from the separator. After this has been accomplished water for removal of the accumulated concentrates is introduced again charged with concentrates and middlings and its operation continued, which consists in the alternations or cycles above described.

\Vhat I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a centrifugal ore-separator, the combination of a rotatable treatment vessel having a separating-surface therein, a hollow deflector within the vessel having water-passages adapted to deliver water on a considerable zone of the separating-surface toward its discharge end, means for introducing water into said deflector and a water pipe or conduit in such deflector adapted to receive water therein and to be adjusted to deliver said water a greater or less longitudinal distance from the discharge end of the deflector.

2. In a centrifugal ore-separator, the combination of a rotatable treatment vessel having a separating-surface therein, a hollow deflector within the vessel having waterretaining means, and provided with passages adapted to deliver water to a considerable zone of the separating-surface toward its discharge end, a water pipe or conduit within the deflector communicating with said water-retaining means and adapted to be adjusted to deliver water a greater or less longitudinal distance from the discharge end of the deflector, and means for introducing water into said deflector.

3. In a centrifugal ore-separator, the combination of a rotatable treatment vessel provided with a separating-surface, a hollow deflector within the vessel, water retaining means within the deflector, said deflector having a portion of its walls provided with perforations or water-channels adapted to deliver water to a considerable zone of said separatingsurface toward its discharge end and water pipes or conduits within the deflector adapted to be adjusted to deliver water a greater or less longitudinal. distance from the discharge end of the deflector.

I. In a centrifugal ore-separator, the combination of a rotatable treatment vessel provided with a separating-surface, a hollow deflector within the vessel having channels in its wall adapted to deliver water on a considerable zone of the separating-surface toward its discharge end and a water pipe or conduit within said deflector adapted to receive water and having its delivery end adapted to be moved a greater or less longitudinal distance from the discharge end of the deflector.

5. In a centrifugal ore-separator, the combination of a rotatable treatment vessel having a separating-surface therein, and a hollow deflector within the vessel, provided with water-channels adapted to deliver water on a considerable zone of said separating-surface toward its discharge end, a water pipe or conduit in said deflector adapted to receive water therein and to be telescoped as desired to bring its discharge end a greater or less longitudinal distance from the discharge end of the deflector and means for introducing water into said deflector.

6. In a centrifugal ore-separator, a combination of a rotatable treatment vessel having a separating-surface therein, a hollow deflector within the vessel provided with water-channels adapted to deliver water on a considerable zone of said separating-surface toward its discharge end, means within the deflector for retaining water from flowing toward the discharge end thereof, a water pipe or conduit communicating with said means and adapted to be telescoped to a greater or less length and means for introducing water into the deflector.

7. In a centrifugal ore-separator, the combination of a rotatable treatment vessel having a separating-surface therein, a hollow deflector within the vessel provided with waterchannels adapted to deliver water to a considerable zone of said separating-surface toward its discharge end, an inwardly-extending ring portion within the hollow of said deflector near its feed end adapted to retard flow of water therein, water pipes or conduits communicating with said ring portion and extending within the deflector toward its discharge end, said pipes or conduits composed of parts adapted to be telescoped to a greater or less longitudinal distance from the discharge end of the deflector, and means for introducing water into said deflector.

8. In a centrifugal ore-separator, a combination of a rotatable treatment vessel having a separating-surface therein,a hollow deflector within the vessel having channels or perforations through its wall toward its discharge end adapted to deliver water on a considerable zone of the separatingsurface, a water pipe or conduit within the deflector adapted to receive water therein, and to be adjusted to deliver said water a greater or less distance from the discharge end of said deflector and means for introducing water into the feed end of said deflector.

PHINEAS H. ADAMS,

Witnesses:

W. E. ADAMS, O. T. X'. ADAMs. 

